title: Septic shock and death due to occult sinusitis.
abstract: We report a case of septicaemia and death due to occult sinusitis in an otherwise healthy adult. Septicaemia was diagnosed on clinical grounds and blood culture grew Streptococcus pneumoniae. Maxillary sinusitis was discovered incidentally on a CT scan four days after the onset of symptoms. A sinus wash-out revealed pus which on culture was positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae. The patient deteriorated gradually and died despite appropriate therapy. We conclude that sinusitis should be suspected in any case of septicaemia where the primary focus is not known and the patient does not respond quickly to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Audiology, Education of the Deaf & Speech Pathology, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hariri
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Vice
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015523:Maxillary Sinusitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000150:complications*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D000667:Ampicillin